Tutoring benefits debated

"None. Zero. Zilch" — that's U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's blunt assessment of the benefits of a government program intended to help the weakest students at the poorestschools.

"Billions of dollars have been spent tutoring kids and they have little to show for it," Duncan said in May, citing findings from a recent federal study of Supplemental Educational Services.

Advocates of the program, renewed in Florida for the new school year, counter that other research proves the tutoring — averaging about 20 hours per child who participates — does boost reading and math skills.

It "really helps the students who take advantage of it," said T. Willard Fair, president of the Urban League of Greater Miami and former chairman of the Florida Board of Education. "Despite the secretary's comments, the data are clear that tutoring works."

He cited a study by New York University's Metropolitan Center on Urban Education, which reported significant gains in reading achievement. He also highlighted research by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which identified intense tutoring as a key for raising student skills.

Federally sponsored reviews have had conflicting outcomes.

A 2007 study of seven school districts found the tutoring led to significant gains by students, but cautioned against drawing conclusions that it's favorable everywhere. Then, a 2011 analysis concluded students who participated in the program had "statistically significant achievement gains in both mathematics and reading."

But in May, the U.S. Department of Education released a study that looked at data from six districts, including Palm Beach County, and focused on students who received an average of 21 hours of tutoring.

The conclusion: "We find no statistically significant impact of participating in [the program] on student achievement in reading or mathematics."

So what are parents supposed to believe? They typically look favorably on the services given their children, says Terry Pitchford, manager of the program for Palm Beach County schools.

"Parents are grateful for any help they can get," she said, citing years of positive feedback.